


Endgame

by Helis_von_Askir



Category: Highlander: The Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-18
Updated: 2021-03-18
Packaged: 2021-03-27 07:53:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,897
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30119547
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Helis_von_Askir/pseuds/Helis_von_Askir
Summary: Those coincidences take a lot of planning, and Methos doesn’t like it when someone goes to that much effort.
Kudos: 18





	Endgame

Letting the door fall closed behind him, Methos shed his soaked and ruined coat. He would have to get rid of it. It was covered in blood, some was his, most belonged to his now very dead opponent.

Disgusted, Methos let the remains of the coat fall to the floor of the corridor. He would deal with it later. Right now he needed a long hot shower. Everything else could wait.

Including the blinking light on his answering machine. It could only be Joe. By now the old Watcher had probably heard what had gone down tonight and was desperate to check up on him. He could wait too. Whether he heard the mortal’s rant now or in an hour didn’t really make a difference to the old Immortal.

A long shower later, he felt refreshed enough to take on a conversation with a probably by now very irate Watcher. He quickly listened to the message on his machine before calling Joe. The old Watcher picked up on the first ring.

“Do you know how worried I’ve been, Old Man? What the fuck happened?” Joe started his rant before Methos could get a word in. Who did he think he was, Methos’ father?

“I got challenged, I won, Joe.” Methos replied calmly.

“Oh, wow, that clears everything up.” Joe said sarcastically. “Why did he challenge you? Have you met him before?”

Methos sighed. “I don’t know why he did it, Joe. I never met him before and the kid didn’t say anything. Not one word, I swear. But he was new, probably only a couple of decades. Sword was bad quality too.”

“And he just happened to run into you?” Joe asked incredulous.

“Stranger things have happened, at least to me. If you don’t mind, Joe, it’s late and I’m tired. I’ll come by tomorrow.” Methos told the Watcher.

“Alright, but before noon, man, or I’ll come breaking down your door.” Joe threatened.

“Yeah, yeah, before noon.” Methos promised.

But sleep wasn’t really in the cards for the oldest Immortal. Methos was wondering why the young Immortal had challenged him. He had never met him before, of that he was certain. And challenge may be too strong a word, the kid had simply blocked his way and drawn his sword. It was strange, most Immortals felt the need to say something witty before they started a fight to the death, but not this one. Maybe he had been suicidal, like Byron, or maybe he had been high, or something. Maybe by tomorrow Joe would have a closing report and could put a name to the little moron.

It was 11:45 when the oldest Immoral strolled into Les Blues Bar to find the mortal Watcher pacing behind the bar. Joe looked equally worried and pissed off. It made for an interesting expression.

“Hi, Joe,” Methos greeted him and sat at the bar.

The Watcher threw him an ugly look while pouring a beer. “It’s nearly noon.” Joe needlessly pointed out.

“Nearly being the operative word. I’m still on time.” Methos told him before taking a sip from the beer. Methos had found a microbrewery that made a really awesome beer and annoyed Joe until the mortal had surrendered and bough a cask. It was an instant hit with the majority of the patrons. Not that Joe ever thanked the old man for that or anything.

“I dug around a little in the Chronicles.” Joe finally said after several minutes when it became clear that Methos wasn’t going to say anything more. Out-waiting a five thousand year old Immortal was a game Joe had no hope of winning, ever.

“And what pearls of wisdom did you find, Joseph?” Methos asked sounding rather bored and uninterested.

“The other guy’s name was Jeremy Danvers. He became Immortal three years ago.” Joe told him.

Methos tilted his had to one side. “Explains why the Quickening was so short and weak, well, relatively speaking. Who taught the kid? He was all brute strength and no tactic.”

“Guy named DeSilva. Know him?” Joe wanted to know.

“I’ve met him. But he’s a better teacher than that and he wouldn’t have allowed a newbie to go anywhere near an old one like me.” Methos explained. “Usually.”

“Where have you met him?” Joe asked slyly.

“Oh, that was somewhere around the fall of Constantinople, I think. Shared a ship, some whine and a lovely little whore who was eager to pay herself a passage to safer fields.” Methos grinned at Joe’s unbelieving stare.

“So what now?” Joe finally asked. Not ignoring what Methos had said but deciding to focus on the matter on hand.

Methos finished his bear. “Nothing. Danvers got in over his head and lost it. That’s life. See you, Joe.” With that the oldest Immortal left the bar.

Joe could only stand there and shake his head. He would never understand the Old man, not even if he lived to see five thousand years himself.

Two days later the funniest thing happened. Methos got challenged again. It was the same as with Danvers. No introduction, no showing off, just stepping in the way of the old Immortal and attacking. The man had clearly been waiting for him.

Methos won again, this fight being ever easier than the last one. But when the old man got back to his feet, he had come to the realization that this was not a coincidence. Someone was sending these kids his way. That was clear, but he didn’t know why.

This time Joe didn’t wait for the next day. An hour after the fight he stood in front of Methos’ door.

“Whom did you piss off?” The Watcher wanted to know the moment he was through the door.

“No one that I’m aware off.” Methos replied tiredly. “Do you have a name?”

“Yeah, sure. Marco Piccolomini. Even younger than Danvers. Died half a year ago.” Joe told him.

“Okay, what kind of teacher would allow a baby like that out of their sight?” Methos wanted to know.

“A dead one. Huang Shue, lost her head two months ago.” Joe explained shortly.

“And his student decided to go head-hunting? Huang Shue usually installs more sense in her students.” Methos said shaking his head.

“Maybe she didn’t have the time. Piccolomini was only with her for three months.” Joe shook his head. “Funny thing is, we don’t know who took Huang Shue’s head. His Watcher took the night off for no reason at all. Just said that he felt like it.”

Methos cocked his head to one side. “Did he now?” He muttered. He went into the kitchen and took two bottles of beer out of the fridge, offering one to Joe.

“Okay, when you’re starting handing out free beer I know it’s bad. What are you thinking, Old Man?” Joe wanted to know.

“Young immortals coming after me, but now showing off. A Watcher behaving strangely.” Methos waited for a beat. “Do you know where Cassandra is right now?”

Joe nearly dropped his beer bottle. “You think Cassandra is behind this?”

“She gave her word to MacLeod to not come after me again. She never promised to not send someone else. And it would fit. Young Immortals are usually more…receptive to her gift.” Methos reasoned.

“And Huang Shue? How does she fit?” Joe asked.

Methos shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe she got in the way. Maybe she has nothing to do with this at all, and it was just bad timing. Guess we’ll see soon enough if my theory is right.”

“You think there’ll be another.” Joe stated.

“I’d bet my beer tab on it.” Methos told him solemnly.

And what do you know? A week later challenger number three showed up. This time a woman that looked to be in her early twenties. She was rather competent with a sword but no real challenge for Methos who simply disarmed her and then buried his sword in her gut. He wanted some answers and the girl would provide them whether she wanted to or not.

He dumped her in the trunk of his car and drove home. He had a lovely little cellar where no one would hear her scream should she prove obstinate.

Joe was already waiting for him at the front door. And he didn’t look happy. Methos didn’t expect him to. The old Immortal would have been very surprised if Cassandra hadn’t been behind all of this, but Joe would need proof. Methos was happy to provide it now.

“Did you find her?” he asked the Watcher after he had parked the car in the garage. No need to alarm his neighbours by carrying around a corpse.

“She’s travelling a lot. But she has been in the same places as our two dead Immortals just before they came for you.” Joe told him. “She was last seen in Munich, Germany.”

“I know where Munich is, Joe. And I have a hunch that this lovely young woman is from there.” Methos and opened the trunk. The young woman was still very much dead but the worst of the wound in her stomach had already healed.

“What are you going to do with her?” Joe asked as Methos lifted her out and carried her towards the cellar. The old Watcher wasn’t dumb, he knew what Methos was going to do with her, he just wanted the old man to say I tout loud.

“Just having a little chat with her. Whether it remains civilized or not is whole up to her.” Methos replied calmly. With a muttered curse, Joe followed him down the stairs. He needed to make sure that the old man didn’t go too far in his little _chat_.

The woman revived with an audible gasp half an hour after Methos had tied her expertly to a chair. Looking around for the source of the immortal presence her eyes landed on Methos and Joe.

“Wer zum Teufel seid ihr? Was wollt ihr von mir?“ (Who the devil are you? What do you want from me?) She wanted to know. Yep, definitely German.

“Nur ein paar Antworten. Sprichst du Englisch?“ (Just a few answers. Do you speak English?) Methos asked. He knew Joe’s German was sketchy at best.

The woman nodded hesitantly. “Sure.”

“What’s your name?” Joe asked before Methos could start. The old Immortal didn’t care about her name, that was the last thing he was interested in.

“Alexandra Merkel.” She replied.

“Like the German Chancellor?” Joe grinned.

Alexandra rolled her eyes at him. “Yeah, like her, what of it?”

Joe shrugged. “Nothing, I just think it’s funny.”

“Now, on to more important matters. Why did you challenge me?” Methos cut the small-talk short.

Alexandra stared at him for a long moment. “I…don’t really know. I was on my way home when this other Immortal, a woman, stopped me and told me that I had to. It made total sense when she said it. But now, I really don’t understand why it did that. Sorry.” She said sheepishly.

Methos gave Joe a knowing look. “Not really your fault.” He told her. “Young ones never can resist her Voice.”

“I’m not that young.” Alexandra protested indignantly.

“Oh, yeah, how long have you been immortal. A year? Two?” Joe wanted to know.

She glared at him before answering somewhat grudgingly. “About a year.”

“Where’s you teacher?” Methos suddenly asked. “Don’t tell me you’re already on your own.”

Now she glared at him. “I’m perfectly fine on my own.”

Methos just gave her his patented condescending look he usually reserved for his students when they were being stupid.

“My teacher had to leave rather suddenly to avoid a murder charge, oaky? He said I would be fine and I was until that crazy bitch showed up.” She told him annoyed.

“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of the crazy bitch. Once I have, you can leave. Until then you’ll keep Joe company.” Methos said and turned to leave.

“Wait!” Joe and Alexandra called after him.

“You can’t leave me down here?” Alexandra protested.

“Let me talk to Mac. He can calm Cassandra down, I’m sure.” You know what he’ll do if you take her head.” Joe tried to stop the old Immortal.

“I can fight my own battles, Joe. Cassandra choose this by sending these kids after me. She needs to be stopped because I won’t lay my life down for some young pup that shouldn’t be let out alone and she’ll keep sending them after me.” Methos told him coldly.

“Hey!” Alexandra called out insulted.

“Relax, kid. I’ll teach you how to resist that little trick of hers when I come back. If you’re interested, that is.” Methos promised her.

“I won’t tell you where she is, Adam.” Joe stated.

Methos shrugged. “I don’t need you to. I can find her on my own.” With that he left the cellar.

Joe sighed and turned back towards Alexandra who was watching him suspiciously. “You want something to drink?” He offered.

“Was he serious about teaching me?” Alexandra asked ignoring his question.

Jos sighed again and nodded. “Yeah, I think he was.” To himself he thought that hell was suddenly a very cold place. He never thought Methos would take a student again, not after Byron. The poet had been his last one two hundred years ago and there had to be a reason why he hadn’t taken another one.

Methos had no trouble hacking into the Watcher database to find out the current whereabouts of dear old Cassandra. She was in Lyon, surprisingly enough, probably sweet-talking the next hapless young Immortal. He would put an end to that. Cassandra had had her chance to take his head back in Bordeaux. She didn’t have to listen to MacLeod, now did she? And unlike the Highlander, Methos never had a problem with killing a woman. They were just as dangerous as any man.

“I’m off to Lyon. I’ll be back in a couple of days.” He told Joe when he came back into the cellar. “You can let her go once I’m gone.”

“Just like that?” Alexandra asked confused.

“Yeah, just like that. You can wait upstairs or go home, you choice.” Methos explained.

“I think I’ll stay. I want to learn how to stand up to that voodoo or whatever that was.” Alexander replied.

“Good choice, kid. See you.” Methos nodded at them and then went up to head to the car. He wanted to get this over with quickly.

“So, what now?” Alexandra asked once she was free and sitting in Adam’s living room. It was a nice room. the guy had taste and money. And a huge weapons collection. So far she had spotted five knives or daggers hidden in this room alone, and that were only the ones that were easy to spot.

Joe shrugged. “I don’t know. Are you hungry?”

“Starving.” Alexandra admitted. She hadn’t eaten since before that Cassandra woman turned her into her personal flying monkey.

Joe headed into the kitchen and Alexandra followed closely, curious to learn more about the Immortal living here. Her teacher had always told her that one could learn a lot about a person by how their kitchen looked. In this case it was spotless and state of the art. The refrigerator was even better, most was filled with beer, Alexandra appreciated a man who liked good beer, the rest was a mix of healthy food and junk food.

“I think this is Thai, that okay?” Joe asked and handed her a couple of take-out containers.

“Yeah, sure, where does he keep the cutlery?” Alexandra started to open drawers looking for forks. “Ah, got it.”

Arriving in Lyon, Methos didn’t waste any time. Thanks to the Watcher database he knew it which hotel she was staying and it was the most expensive one in town. Her tastes had taken a turn for the expensive since her days in the little hut in Donan Woods.

Perfectly dressed in a hand-tailored three piece suit he approached the concierge behind the dark brown wooden reception counter.

“Bonjour, Monsieur. How may I help you?” the elderly man asked politely.

“I would like to leave a message with one of your guests. Madame Cassandra Gespard.” Methos told the man with a charming smile.

“Bien sur, Monsieur. What is the message?” The concierge readied a notepad and pen to take down the message.

“Please inform her that I wish to conclude business at the earliest opportunity and that I will be waiting for her in the Jardin bontanique at the great greenhouse at nine this evening.” Methos told him.

“Very well, Monsieur, and your name?”

“Adam Pierson.” With a generous tip to the concierge Methos left the hotel and went in search for lunch. No reason to fight on an empty stomach, he still had a few hours to kill.

“Tell me about yourself.” Joe prompted after their warmed-up dinner. The girl wasn’t in the Chronicles yet and the sooner he got a file started on her the better.

Alexandra shrugged. “Not much to tell. Born and raised in Munich with a really nice family. They couldn’t have kids to they adopted me and my older brother. I had the most ordinary life until my brother lost control of our car last year and we crashed. We were both killed and only I woke up again. My teacher used to work at the morgue as a doctor and got me out. And that’s about it, really.”

Joe nodded thoughtfully. It did sound plausible and it would be easy enough to check. Her death would be a matter of public record.

“I’m sorry about your brother.” He told her.

“Yeah, me too. But I’m more worried about our parents. It hit them hard, losing both of us and I wish I could just call them and let them know that I’m fine.” Alexandra sighed and stood up. “I need a beer, what about you?”

“Sounds good.” Joe agreed. He could only imagine what it must be like to leave your loved ones behind like that. Leave your entire life behind and start over from scratch. It couldn’t be easy and not even Mac or Amanda liked to talk about that part of immortality. And Methos? Well, Joe knew better than to even ask.

Cassandra was punctual, he gave her that. She appeared to have come alone but considering what had happened in the last few weeks he didn’t trust appearances.

“I didn’t think you would have the nerve to face me, Methos. You were always a coward.” Cassandra hissed and drew her sword.

Methos shrugged. “If you say so.” He really couldn’t care less what Cassandra or anyone else thought about him. He drew his own blade and they started to circle each other.

Methos knew he should have ended this three thousand years ago. After she had escaped from Kronos, he should have followed her and just taken her head. But he had been so tired of everything by then that it just hadn’t seem worth the effort. And he hadn’t cared whether Cassandra lived or died at the hands of another Immortal. There had been more important things to contemplate and he had quite forgotten about her. He had gotten over that depression a couple of decades later.

When she had confronted him at MacLeod’s dojo all these years ago he had truly not remembered her, not right away. He had to sift through an awful lot of memories until he had dug up that one year where she had been his slave. One year out of three thousand and she still obsessed about it. Methos hadn’t been able to understand it, nor Kronos’ pathetic plan to rule the world. They hadn’t done that when they rode as the Horsemen, no matter what Kronos wanted to believe, and they wouldn’t do so thousands of years later.

Kronos and Cassandra, both living in the long lost past, unable to let go and move on. It had cost his brother his head, and now Cassandra would follow him.

They tested each other’s defences for a while. Cassandra was good but she was impatient. Methos let her attack, drive him back for a bit before he went on the offensive.

Cassandra hissed angrily and tried to land a blow but she couldn’t get past his defences. She took more and more risks, trying to defeat him, leaving herself open to his attacks and Methos didn’t hesitate. His blade entered between her ribs and exited next to her spine.

Cassandra stared at him with shock and surprised, blood flowing from her mouth. Methos withdrew his sword and lifted it above his head and brought it down again. Cassandra’s head bounced a few times before it came to rest under stone bench. That was all Methos had time to see before the Quickening hit him.

When it was over he knelt there exhausted. Cassandra’s Quickening had been a lot more powerful than he had anticipated, even considering her age. She had taken more heads than anyone had ever suspected.

For a brief moment, he covered his eyes, taking a couple of slow deep breaths, before pulling his hands away to study them. They were long, slender fingers, the palms callused and stronger than they looked. They looked young, he looked young, but right at the moment he felt so much older than his five thousand years.

With a sigh, Methos got back to his feet. The Watcher clean-up crew was probably already getting itchy in their oh-so inconspicuous black van.

Alexandra was browsing Adam’s impressive library when she felt the Buzz. Keeping her hand near her sword, she waited until Adam entered. Really nice of Joe to give it back.

He nodded at her. “Where’s Joe.”

“He has a bar to run, apparently. He’ll be back later. How did it go?” Alexandra wanted to know. The last two days had passed slowly for her.

“Well, I’m still around, Cassandra isn’t.” Adam said with a shrug. “Do you still want to learn? Not many left who know how to use the Voice.”

“One is enough. I won’t allow this to happen again.” Alexander pointed out.

Adam nodded. “Good. We start after lunch.”

He went into the kitchen and started wiping up something that smelled deliciously in no time. Joe arrived in time for it. He already seemed to know that Cassandra was dead. Alexandra assumed Adam had called him, or left a message.

“You think about blowing town, _Adam_?” Joe asked, with a strange emphasis on his name that Alexandra found strange.

“No, MacLeod wants to take a shot he’s welcome to try, but he probably only wants to rant and sulk for a bit. And then Amanda, or some other pretty face, will distract him.” Adam replied unconcerned.

“Who’s MacLeod?” Alexandra wanted to know. “You’ve mentioned him before.”

Joe sighed and it was Adam who replied. “Duncan MacLeod of the Clan Macleod. Four hundred year old boy scout who believes that everyone should live after his code of honour. And if you’re a woman, he’ll insist on protecting you and fight your battles for you whether you want him to or not.”

“Sounds like a chauvinist, and a bit of an asshole.” Alexandra stated.

“Yeah,” Joe smiled a little. “But he can also be a good guy and a friend.” He turned to Adam. “Let me talk to him first.”

Adam shrugged. “Suit yourself, Joe.”

“Hey, Joe.” MacLeod said as he entered Les Blues Bar. “You wanted to see me.”

“Yeah,” Joe replied and poured two drinks, big ones, for them.” This isn’t a conversation I want to have, but I though you should hear it from me.”

“Joe, you’re worrying me. What’s happened?” Mac wanted to know. He sat on the bar stool and took the glass but didn’t drink.

“Cassandra challenged Methos, kind of, and she lost.” Joe told him succinctly.

“What? And he didn’t have the nerve to tell me himself?” Mac almost roared.

“No, Mac. I wanted to be the one to tell you, so you wouldn’t run off doing something stupid.” Joe stated calmly.

“When did it happen?” Mac wanted to know.

“Yesterday, in Lyon.” Joe said. “It was always bound to happen, right?”

“No, it wasn’t. Methos could have just walked away. He normally runs from a challenge like they’re the plague.” Mac hissed and stood up to pace, his drink forgotten.

“Not this time, he couldn’t.” Joe muttered.

Mac scoffed. “Is that what he told you? He’s a lying, manipulative bastard. How can you believe anything he says?”

“Mac…” Joe tried to calm his friend. But once MacLeod got into one of his righteous rages there was no reasoning with him.

“No, he’s gone too far this time. He has to face the consequences for his actions.” Mac said and stormed out of the bar.

“Well, that went well.” Joe muttered and reached for his phone. He hadn’t even had time to tell him about what Cassandra had done.

“I broke the news to him, he’s on his way over to your place.” Joe told Methos over the phone. He made his way to his car to follow MacLeod, but he just wasn’t the fastest.

“Well, his timing sucks.” Methos sighed.

“What do you mean?” Joe wanted to know with dread.

“I’m shopping since I have a house guest now. I’m not at home, Alexandra is alone.” And I can’t be there before Duncan.” Methos told him.

“Well, fuck!” Joe cursed.

“Exactly.” Methos agreed. “guess I’m going to break some speed limits now.”

Joe scoffed. “Yeah, me too.”

Storming into the house Mac felt the Buzz coming from the back of the house. He drew his sword, ready to…he didn’t know what, but Methos would pay for killing Cassandra.

“Hey, Adam, you’re back…early.” A young woman in t-shirt and jeans called from her place beside the stove. “You’re not Adam.”

“Neither are you. Where’s Adam?” Duncan asked suspiciously, looking around for the old Immortal.

“Buying stuff. I’m Alexandra.” He woman said with a little wave of her hand.

“Buying stuff.” Mac echoed. “Why?”

“Oh, I’m moving in for a bit. He promised to teach me how to resist those freaky mind powers Cassandra has, had.” Alexandra explained.

“Cassandra’s dead.” Mac pointed out.

“I know and good riddance to her.” Alexandra crossed her arms in front of her. “Bitch used me and two others to do her dirty work. And she still lost.”

“What?” Mac had absolutely no idea what that woman was talking about.

Alexandra shrugged. “I was living my life in Munich when Cassandra showed up and used that Jedi mind power on me. Next thing I know I’m challenging Adam in an alley in Paris. The only reason I still have my head is that Adam wanted some answers.”

“Cassandra wouldn’t do something like that.” Duncan protested.

“Yeah, she did, dude. You don’t believe me, there’s the door.” Alexandra hissed.

“Why would she do that? What reason could she possible have?” Mac wanted to know.

“Oh, I don’t know, maybe because she hates his guts and doesn’t have the balls to go after him herself.” Alexandra suggested sarcastically.

“She told you that?”

Alexandra scoffed. “Don’t be stupid. She told me shit. Adam told me what he did to her. And don’t get me wrong, he shouldn’t have done that, but that didn’t give her the right to drag me into this.”

“But you have forgiven him?” Mac asked.

“Him? What would I need to forgive him for? I wasn’t there back then. He didn’t to any of that to me, did he?” Alexandra looked honestly confused. “And I’m not so big an ass as to think I can judge him on something that happened thousands of years ago.”

Suddenly the Buzz washed over them and in the next moment Adam entered the kitchen, closely followed by Joe.

“How lovely, you both still have your heads. Had a nice chat?” Adam asked innocently.

“She sent other Immortals after you? Why didn’t you tell me?” MacLeod wanted to know.

“Because you wouldn’t have listened to me.” Methos put his groceries down on the counter in the middle of the room. “Cassandra tried to fight dirty, it didn’t work for her and she lost her head. You want to try you luck next, be my guest.”

Duncan sighed and sat his sword on the counter too. “I don’t want your head. I just can’t believe Cassandra would do something like that.”

“Oh, believe it.” Alexandra muttered.

“What now?” Duncan asked.

Joe shrugged. “The Watchers have her body for now. I can arrange to have it released to you, if that’s what you want.”

Mac nodded. “Yes, thank you, Joe. What about you, Adam?”

“What about me?” Methos wanted to know.

Mac stood up angry. “Forget it.” He muttered and stormed out.

“Was that necessary?” Joe asked annoyed.

“Yes, actually, it was.” Methos replied and started to unpack his grocery bags. “You staying for lunch?”

“Might as well.” Joe shook his head at Alexandra. “Regret staying here by now?”

“No, not yet.” She told him. “I think this is kind of interesting.”

“Interesting? Really?” Joe chuckled. “You might want to have your head checked out.”

Alexandra grinned at him. “Oh, you just know how to sweet-talk a girl.”

End


End file.
